Drug Control Policy

Dr. William Kelly, a prevention specialist with the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy, will present "Errors in Thinking - Understanding Addictive Behavior," a free, four-part prevention training program. Sponsored by the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy and Harford County One Church-One Addict Program, the course begins next month. "The course gives you an understanding of the reasoning behind avoidance of responsibility in addictive behavior," said prevention associate Robin Rossbach.

The Harford County Department of Community Services, Office of Drug Control Policy, will hold its annual Symposium on Drug Prevention, Intervention and Treatment at Patterson Mill High School on Wednesday, June 27 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each year the symposium focuses on issues taking place not only in Harford County, but nationwide, according to the Office of Drug Control Policy. This year's seminar theme, "Extremely Close but Incredibly Silent," will provide an opportunity to learn about current issues such as addiction, co-occurring disorders, bullying, abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, Internet safety and sexting, the impact of addiction on the family, and the science of addition.

Harford County's Office of Drug Control Policy, based on the most recent state figures is successfully serving more clients than any similar local office in Maryland, the county government announced last week. As a result, Harford County Executive David R. Craig recently congratulated the staff of the Office of Drug Control Policy for its statewide recognition in substance abuse prevention programs. According to the county government, the State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration published its annual report for fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009-June 30, 3010)

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Carl Kotowski, assistant special agent in charge of the DEA Baltimore Office, presented an award to Harford County Executive David R. Craig Jan. 17 in honor of the county's successful role in the nationwide prescription drug take back days. Over the past 18 months Harford County has collected 3,750 pounds of unused or expired prescription medications for safe and proper disposal. "In the October 2011 take back initiative, Harford County ranked number one in total collection and participation," Kotowski said in a press release.

Drug-abuse forum set for Saturday The Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy will take part in a drug and alcohol prevention symposium titled "Know Means No!" at 6 p.m. Saturday at Evangelistic Church of Deliverance, 325 St. John St., Havre de Grace. Joseph Ryan, manager of the Office of Drug Control Policy, will present "A Snapshot of Drugs in Harford County" to educate the public about the current trends in the county. "Our office needs the understanding and assistance from the whole community to tackle the problems of drug and alcohol use, abuse and addiction," Ryan said.

The Harford County Department of Community Services, Office of Drug Control Policy, will hold its annual Symposium on Drug Prevention, Intervention and Treatment at Patterson Mill High School on Wednesday, June 27 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each year the symposium focuses on issues taking place not only in Harford County, but nationwide, according to the Office of Drug Control Policy. This year's seminar theme, "Extremely Close but Incredibly Silent," will provide an opportunity to learn about current issues such as addiction, co-occurring disorders, bullying, abuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, Internet safety and sexting, the impact of addiction on the family, and the science of addition.

Officials in President Bush's drug war came to Towso yesterday to examine a new weapon -- a computer that plots Baltimore County's worst drug neighborhoods.They left impressed."This is a very positive approach to using technology to help limited resources go further," said Severin L. Sorensen, a special assistant in the Office of National Drug Control Policy at the White House.The computer program, called the Substance Abuse Tracking System (SATS), takes the locations of drug arrests and complaints, and areas with the most people in drug treatment programs, and converts the information into maps county officials use to direct enforcement and treatment efforts.

The next Nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be Saturday in Harford County. People can turn in prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the county government office building at 220 S. Main St. in Bel Air. The parking lot is at the corner of Business Route 1 (Baltimore Pike) and South Main Street. No questions will be asked when the medications are turned in. The event is sponsored by the Harford County Department of Community Services and its Office of Drug Control Policy.

Drug symposium planned June 29 at Fallston High "Drug Prevention, Intervention and Treatment," a free Harford County symposium, will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 29 at Fallston High School, 2301 Carrs Mill Road. The symposium is geared toward school nurses, guidance counselors, United Way agencies, members of the faith community and others. The day will begin with keynote speaker Gerry Weinholt, president of PEP Inc., who will discuss substance prevention, use and abuse. Workshops will be held throughout the day. Registration is required by June 15. For more information, contact the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy at 410-638-3333 or odcp@co.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Carl Kotowski, assistant special agent in charge of the DEA Baltimore Office, presented an award to Harford County Executive David R. Craig Jan. 17 in honor of the county's successful role in the nationwide prescription drug take back days. Over the past 18 months Harford County has collected 3,750 pounds of unused or expired prescription medications for safe and proper disposal. "In the October 2011 take back initiative, Harford County ranked number one in total collection and participation," Kotowski said in a press release.

The next Nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be Saturday in Harford County. People can turn in prescription drugs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of the county government office building at 220 S. Main St. in Bel Air. The parking lot is at the corner of Business Route 1 (Baltimore Pike) and South Main Street. No questions will be asked when the medications are turned in. The event is sponsored by the Harford County Department of Community Services and its Office of Drug Control Policy.

Harford County's Office of Drug Control Policy, based on the most recent state figures is successfully serving more clients than any similar local office in Maryland, the county government announced last week. As a result, Harford County Executive David R. Craig recently congratulated the staff of the Office of Drug Control Policy for its statewide recognition in substance abuse prevention programs. According to the county government, the State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration published its annual report for fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009-June 30, 3010)

When the nation's drug czar visited Friday, the recovering addicts at Tuerk House in West Baltimore did a little showing off. Those taking the culinary jobs training course whipped up a lavish breakfast. Those in the landscaping and maintenance program spruced up the grounds. "It's been a blessing to me," Mack Campbell, 56, said of the program that he hopes will finally break his personal cycle of addiction, imprisonment and relapse. "I'm learning how to live without drugs. " Inside, Gil Kerlikowske was offering much the same message — but on a broader level.

Drug-abuse forum set for Saturday The Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy will take part in a drug and alcohol prevention symposium titled "Know Means No!" at 6 p.m. Saturday at Evangelistic Church of Deliverance, 325 St. John St., Havre de Grace. Joseph Ryan, manager of the Office of Drug Control Policy, will present "A Snapshot of Drugs in Harford County" to educate the public about the current trends in the county. "Our office needs the understanding and assistance from the whole community to tackle the problems of drug and alcohol use, abuse and addiction," Ryan said.

Drug symposium planned June 29 at Fallston High "Drug Prevention, Intervention and Treatment," a free Harford County symposium, will be held from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. June 29 at Fallston High School, 2301 Carrs Mill Road. The symposium is geared toward school nurses, guidance counselors, United Way agencies, members of the faith community and others. The day will begin with keynote speaker Gerry Weinholt, president of PEP Inc., who will discuss substance prevention, use and abuse. Workshops will be held throughout the day. Registration is required by June 15. For more information, contact the Harford County Office of Drug Control Policy at 410-638-3333 or odcp@co.

A block from the burned-out rowhouse where Baltimore wept 10 months ago, Jay Hinton puts hammer to nail and builds on a shaky foundation of hope. Hinton is gutting and rehabbing a rowhouse just down East Preston Street from the one where arson killed a family of seven in October. It is an act of faith in a neighborhood scarred by a crime that shocked not only Baltimore, but the rest of the country. Hinton, 43, believes some things have improved in the Oliver community since Carnell and Angela Dawson and their five children were murdered.

WASHINGTON -- A White House ceremony is set for this morning to nominate Florida Gov. Bob Martinez to lead the nation's crusade against illegal drugs.In choosing Mr. Martinez, President Bush rejected advice to pick "a Washington insider" as his next "drug czar." Instead, the president turned to a political ally with 12 years of government experience in a state that has grappled with the drug problem.Some members of Congress and drug policy analysts say that because Mr. Martinez was Mr. Bush's first choice for the job, the governor should command cooperation among the nearly three dozen agencies involved in the government's war against drugs.

WASHINGTON - White House officials unveiled a program yesterday that aims to help religious groups keep teenagers off drugs, underscoring administration efforts to forge partnerships between faith-based organizations and the federal government. The project - consisting of an 86-page booklet and pamphlets to aid religious youth leaders in talking to teens about drug use - was a joint effort between spiritual leaders, the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

WASHINGTON - White House officials unveiled a program yesterday that aims to help religious groups keep teenagers off drugs, underscoring administration efforts to forge partnerships between faith-based organizations and the federal government. The project - consisting of an 86-page booklet and pamphlets to aid religious youth leaders in talking to teens about drug use - was a joint effort between spiritual leaders, the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.

JOHN P. WALTERS is a man on a mission to save Americans from themselves. The director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy told Congress he's battling widespread "ignorance" about the dangers of marijuana, and about the true motives of those who would permit its use for medicinal purposes. Legalization of the drug is their goal, he contends, which Mr. Walters equates with "giving up" on the problem of drug abuse. Ignorant hicks we may be, but we know enough to be alarmed about zealots from Washington using our tax dollars to promote ideological crusades.